Qatari student 'feared for safety' before murder

TRAGIC DEATH: Mohamed al-Majed reportedly feared for his safety.

Tragic Qatari student Mohamed al-Majed told his parents that he feared for his safety – two weeks before he was killed in a gang attack in the UK.

Family members say the 16-year-old had phoned home to say he was concerned about the “mounting racism" in the area and had talked about moving to another town.

Mohamed, who had ambitions to join the military, died from severe head injuries on Sunday, two days after he and his friends were set upon by a gang in the south coastal town of Hastings.

The body of the 16-year-old, who was studying at the EF International Language School, was flown home on Wednesday for burial, Gulf Times reported on Thursday.

On Wednesday, mourners gathered inside the family’s ‘condolence tent’, to pay their respects to the boy described as “a brother to everyone”.

A post-mortem found that the teenager had suffered a skull fracture during the attack, which is being treated as racially motivated by police in the UK.

Mohamed had spent five weeks in Hastings studying and had been due to return home next weekend.

Three men, aged 17, 18 and 20, were arrested in connection with the incident and have been released on police bail.

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Let's hope
Posted by Doug, Dubai on Sunday 31 August 2008 at 09:06 UAE time


Let's hope that this boy's killers are caught and brought to justice as soon as possible.

And I sure hope that everyone here who has decided to pillory the UK and the British over this also hopes that the killer of the British woman who was murdered in a road rage incident is also treated to the same justice.

Qatari Students Death
Posted by fs, Dubai, UAE on Sunday 31 August 2008 at 08:08 UAE time

My heartfelt condolences to the family and may allah give them the strength to cope up with this tragedy. Indeed, it is horrific to even think of such thing happening to a human, and he was only 16. What did the offenders achieve to cut a young life so short? disgusting. this is truly barbaric.

Qatari youth "murdered"
Posted by Sami Khoury, Abu Dhabi, UAE on Saturday 30 August 2008 at 22:57 UAE time


"Murder most foul" .. tears filled my eyes when I saw his photo ... a very handsome and a lovely young man .. killed, nay murdered, by thugs presumably for racial reasons ... QATAR please rise one and all and protest to the British Authorities (the least we could do) for allowing such things to happen in their "civilised" country .. If anyone does this outside Britain all of them flock to teach us human rights .. their ministers even pressure other governments to forgive Brits for murder if they think they are not correctly tried .. or if sentenced to death for owning lethal drugs like heroin ... Time to act .. at least in the Media to show our disgust at such acts ...

Murder of 16 year old qatari boy.
Posted by Sagoo, Dubai, UK on Saturday 30 August 2008 at 19:56 UAE time

All the comments on this matter express disgust at the totally unjustified and tragic murder of the Qatari boy who was a guest in the UK. Like several of the others who wrote, I too have been in the Middle East for about 15 years, and I have never been abused or mistreated by the locals here. On the contrary, they are generally very helpful - e.g. when you have a problem while traveling on the road and car breakdown etc. They will help you in whatever way to get you back on the road. It is indeed a shame that the UK culture does not possess these values and the streets of UK have become unsafe not only for the foreigners but the UK people also.

Opinions expressed on this matter should be conveyed to the UK authorities or the press to put them in the picture how their own citizens working in Middle East feel.

Murder of 16 year old qatari boy.
Posted by mrsb martin, Ad, UAE on Saturday 30 August 2008 at 16:22 UAE time

Yet again another ugly mark against the name of uk.
Ive been here in the gulf now for 22 years and never once been abused or hurt by locals..those 3 thugs need to be held responsible.
I feel so ashamed yet again to be a brit and hear such a tragic story. Words can not express the anger i have for thugs in the uk. I know where i call home & its definitely not been the uk for the last 15 years.

Qatari Student killed in UK
Posted by Lesley, Stratford upon Avon, United Kingdom on Saturday 30 August 2008 at 10:48 UAE time

My sincere and heartfelt condolences go to this young mans family andfriends. It is on occasions such as this that I am ashamed of my countrymen. Having worked and lived in the Middle East for some years I have always been shown utmost respect and tolerance it saddens me that in my home country we do not do the same with our guests.

Qatari student 'feared for safety' before murder
Posted by Sagoo, Dubai, UK on Thursday 28 August 2008 at 17:54 UAE time


This indeed is very sad and tragic. UK and other countries who try to attract foreign students to study must take more action on this kind of Terrorism. It is easy for the Western society to consider anyone with a beard and wearing white robes as an undesirable etc. But what about this behaviour of young hooligans and terrorists who are also murders. This needs re-educating the society to give them some cultural and society values. This kind of behaviour can not and should not be tolerated.

Senseless tragedy
Posted by Cynthia on Thursday 28 August 2008 at 11:48 UAE time


What a tragedy! It must have went on for weeks. Cruel remarks, taunting and teasing. A sixteen year old, brutally killed by thugs. It could be your child or mine. The courts should make examples of cases like this and those men should be punished to the full extent of the law.

My heart goes out to his family and friends.

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